Who Are You Voting For?

I'm having some difficulty figuring out who to vote for. As much as I'd like to see a woman become president, Hillary Clinton is too hawkish for me. I'm also turned off by her campaign's attacks on Barack Obama.

I was enthusiastic about Obama until, in a recent debate, he expressed his approval of nuclear power and soon after he cited Reagan as an agent of change. Give me a break!

I then decided to vote for John Edwards because of his populist message, but then I looked as his voting record when he was in the senate and his words don't match his deeds.

I'm down to Dennis Kucinich now - who has no hope of winning.

Any advice? Anybody?

Lynx

These lynx were spotted in Maine near the Canadian border. Click on the photo to enlarge it.

I thought lynx were solitary animals, but here they are travelling together.

Taking the Cheetahs Out to Run at Safari West

Our cabin

Us on the safari truck - cheetahs, Gijimi and Thula and their handlers in the back.

Gijimi

Shortly after taking this photo, we had an unexpected event. Gijimi was watching the scenery on the right and began to growl as we passed a lake. Thula became frightened and jumped over the left side of the truck, taking the handlers with her. The driver stopped the truck while the handlers struggled to control the cheetah sisters and calm them down. Cheetahs can see for a distance of 2 ½ miles, so Gijimi probably saw something invisible to us. Thula had been facing forward and, apparently, didn’t see what spooked her sister, but instinctively wanted to run in the opposite direction.

Video here or here if that one doesn't work.

Candlelight Memorial Vigil For Zoo Victims

In Defense of Animals (IDA) and the San Francisco Unitarian Universalists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals will join together this Thursday for a candlelight memorial vigil to remember the two young victims who died Christmas Day at the San Francisco Zoo. The vigil, including remarks by IDA Founder and President Elliot Katz DVM, Dolores Perez Priem and Rev. Fred Rabidoux of the Unitarian Universalists, will take place in front of the main entrance to the San Francisco Zoo. Please join us.

What: Candlelight Memorial Vigil for Carlos Sousa and Tatiana the tiger
Where: San Francisco Zoo Main Entrance, At the western end of Sloat Blvd.
When: Thursday, January 3, 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.

Contact: Melissa Gonzalez at Melissa@idausa.org or (415) 388-9641, ext. 228 for more information.

San Francisco, the city named for St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, who taught love and respect for all life, is now shrouded in a terrible light. IDA and Unitarian Universalists are calling for the City of St. Francis to live up to his benevolent teachings by recognizing that its zoo cannot humanely house tigers and other big cats. Both organizations request that the city transfer the cats to a sanctuary, close the big cat exhibits, and reassess whether the San Francisco Zoo should continue to hold captive large species who require considerably more space than the zoo can provide

Happy New Year - Año Nuevo

I received the following Manfred F. Schieder and wanted to share it with all:

Although this will render a strong impression of uselessness in a world that seems to have lost the faculty of reason, I wish those who receive this mail

a thoroughly peaceful, healthy and happy New Year,

filled with the material and intellectual wealth obtained through productivity and fruitful ideas, aimed at creating a human society of civil, non-violent and friendly people!

May reason abide with all of us!

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Aún si esto puede producir una marcada sensación de inutilidad en un mundo que aparentemente ha perdido la facultad de la razón, deseo a quienes reciban este mensaje
un Año Nuevo pleno de paz, salud y felicidad,

pletórico de riquezas materiales e intelectuales obtenidas mediante el trabajo productivo e ideas fecundas, con la mira de establecer una sociedad de seres humanos civilizados, no violentos y amistosos.

Que la razón fundamente nuestros diarios quehaceres!

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Auch wenn dies in einer Welt, die anscheinend jeden Schimmer der Fähigkeit des Verstandes verloren zu haben scheint, den unheimlichen Eindruck der Nutzlosigkeit erwecken kann, so will ich doch jenen, die diese Nachricht empfangen,

ein völlig friedliches, gesundes und fröhliches Neues Jahr

wünschen, gefüllt mit dem materiellen und intellektuellen Reichtum den produktive Arbeit und fruchtbare Ideen bringen, um eine humane Gesellschaft von zivilisierten, gewaltlosen und freundlichen Menschen zu erreichen.

Soll der Verstand uns allen als wichtigster Wert und Begründung erhalten bleiben!